


Deck the Halls

by DestinyFreeReally



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-21
Updated: 2017-12-21
Packaged: 2019-02-17 23:47:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13087992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DestinyFreeReally/pseuds/DestinyFreeReally
Summary: it's holiday time, even at Quantico





	Deck the Halls

   Penelope’s Christmas party to-do list almost had everything checked off. The decorations were up in the bullpen, the snacks and drinks were set up, the presents were under the tree.    
  
    “Not even a mouse stirring,” Garcia mused to herself, missing the one thing the party didn’t have yet. The team was supposed to be landing any minute, and if Penelope kept refreshing their jet’s gps tracker page she was sure she was going to lose it. Weren’t jets supposed to be fast? Could they get a faster jet?   
  
   “Hey, Pen, it looks great in here,” JJ called from the doorway, and Garcia smiled wide, running to them as fast as her high heels would gracefully carry her.    
  
    “Merry Christmas,” she smiled, kissing JJ’s cheek, “And happy holidays of all variations,” she added with a wink. “Personally, I don’t go looking for the Christ in Christmas, but it does come with all kinds of other perks.”   
  
    Emily beamed at the office, even at the small tree tucked into the corner.    
  
    “Like presents?” Smile gone sideways, Emily kissed Garcia’s cheek and pushed past her, letting the rest of the team follow her into Garcia’s winter wonderland.    
  
    “Like presents, and  _ cookies, _ and you guys all being home for a change.” Garcia smiled wider at the rest of the team, brandishing a tray of Christmas cookies, ready for eating. The bad guys, and the murders, and the cases… they could wait for one night. Garcia was sure this could be the night they wait. “Come, everyone, eat, sit, be merry.”   
  
    “And bright?” Rossi’s mustache tickled Penelope’s cheek, as he set down his laptop bag and went to work on the food Garcia ordered.    
  
    For a few hours, Garcia got to have her family, at Christmastime. They all settled into it, into the break from the outside world. From the outside badness.    
  
    “You did all this yourself, Garcia?” Luke asked, leaning her way, sitting on top of his desk.    
  
    Bringing her non-alcoholic champagne over to him, Penelope nodded.    
  
    “Mostly all of it. Getting the streamers up was a challenge for me, as someone who is…” Garcia frowned.    
  
    “Vertically challenged?” Luke tried to keep his smile less than smug.    
  
    “I blackmailed one of the nightshift guys to help me,” she admitted, pointing up at the streamers. “Kid did a good job, too.” Smiling content, Garcia reminded herself of something. “Oh, I didn’t put Roxy’s present under the tree,” putting her glass down, Garcia fumbled in her bag until she found the package she was looking for.    
  
    “You know she’s been asking for a pony,” Luke joked, eyeing the small package in Garcia’s hand. “You didn’t have to do all this,” he started, and watched the shake of Penelope’s wavy blonde hair.    
  
    “You will all have a nice, normal, Christmas break, if I have to personally stop every crime in this country to give it to you.” Smoothing the edges of her skirt, Garcia fixed her smile. “You know, I don’t have much of my own family,” she added, in a softer tone, meeting Alvez’s brown eyes. “This is the fun part for me.” Handing over the package, Garcia smiled.    
  
     “Well, as long as you’re in a holiday mood, Roxy  _ may _ have stashed a little something for you, in the top drawer of my desk.” With a quick jut of his chin, Luke sent Garcia digging through the top drawer of his desk.    
  
    A neatly wrapped box was in the drawer, and Luke thought he saw Garcia’s eyes sparkle over.    
  
    “When did she even have time to shop?” Penelope asked, with a stifled laugh. She knew the team just landed, which meant Luke had picked something up for her last week, between cases. For some reason, it made Garcia’s cheeks feel warm. Despite the differences they’d had initially, she was glad he stayed on the team. She was glad he was part of her family.    
  
    “Aren’t you gonna open it?” Luke asked, turning the present she gave him over in his hands, and leaning back on the desk.    
  
    “Are you gonna give me any hints?” Bringing the box up to her ear, Garcia shook it. Squinting her eyes at him, she smiled.    
  
    “Nope, this is a regular Christmas mystery,” nodding, Luke waited for her to unwrap the box.    
  
    With a contented sigh, Penelope looked up from the present, smiling.    
  
    “I felt a little left out of the pictures on your desk,” Luke shrugged, like he was completely joking, even if he wasn’t. In her hands, Penelope held a brand new, framed photo, of the new team on the jet. She already knew she wanted it to be in a spot to the right of her computer screens.    
  
    “Of course you would,” Garcia shook her head, looking down at the picture again. “I was just thinking it was about time I updated the family pictures,” she leaned a hug into his chest.    
  
    When Luke got his present unwrapped, Garcia stopped him before he opened it.    
  
    “Wait, wait,” leaning up to him, Penelope pressed her Christmas-red lined lips to his cheek, and pulled back with a smile. “I meant it, that’s a new leash for Roxy in there, I just didn’t want you to feel like  _ you  _ didn’t get anything for Christmas,” with a pink blush blooming on her cheek, Garcia shrugged. “Well, go on, now that I ruined the Christmas mystery.”    
  
    Looking down at her, Luke couldn’t help but smile, feeling warmth in his cheeks, too.    
  
    “Merry Christmas, Garcia,” he whispered, pressing his lips to her cheek. “ _ Now _ we’re even.”


End file.
